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Exercise Behaviors and Fatigue in Patients Receiving Immunotherapy for Advanced Melanoma: A Cross-Sectional Survey via Social Media
- Source :
- Integrative Cancer Therapies, Integrative Cancer Therapies, Vol 18 (2019)
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Objective: Treatment with immunotherapy has positively changed the long-term outlook of many patients with advanced melanoma; however, fatigue is a common and debilitating side effect. Evidence indicates exercise can improve treatment-related fatigue for patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, currently little is known about exercise behaviors and preferences of patients receiving immunotherapy. This project aimed to describe self-reported levels of fatigue related to immunotherapy; patient perspectives of exercise behaviors; and barriers and facilitators to engagement in exercise for patients receiving, or recently completed immunotherapy for unresectable stage III and stage IV melanoma. Method: A cross-sectional purpose-built survey was distributed to members of the Melanoma Patients Australia closed Facebook group via an online survey platform. The survey remained active for 1 month, with 3 posts during this time inviting members to participate. Results: A total of 55 responses were collected. Just over half the participants (n = 31; 56%) described exercising while receiving immunotherapy, with walking as the most common activity (n = 24; 77%). Participants described a range of physical and emotional benefits of exercise, the most predominant being fatigue reduction. Barriers to exercise also included fatigue and competing physical demands at home or work. Patient understanding of what constitutes exercise appeared to differ from clinical classifications. Conclusions: Results from this study indicate that patients are engaging in exercise while receiving immunotherapy, with the intent of mediating treatment-related fatigue. Identification of preferred exercise activities and barriers will assist in developing tailored exercise interventions for this cohort.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Side effect
Cross-sectional study
medicine.medical_treatment
Psychological intervention
Walking
lcsh:RC254-282
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Breast cancer
Quality of life
Surveys and Questionnaires
Patient experience
Medicine
Humans
cancer
030212 general & internal medicine
Melanoma
Aged
exercise
business.industry
patient experience
Australia
Immunotherapy
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
lcsh:Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Exercise Therapy
Cross-Sectional Studies
Complementary and alternative medicine
Oncology
030220 oncology & carcinogenesis
Cohort
Physical therapy
Female
fatigue
immunotherapy
business
Social Media
Research Article
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 1552695X
- Volume :
- 18
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Integrative cancer therapies
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....f2eefa9fc595776edde122b82aac6e3d